Process alarm-clock.



UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. LATOHFORDOF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS ALARM-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908- Application filed March 11. 1907. Serial No. 361.793.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J LATCH- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Process Alarm-Clocks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to pro vide a time alarm device to be used chiefly in connection with 'rocesses of cooking or otherwise treating nuts or vegetables for canning but applicable to any other processes, particularly when there are being carried on simultaneously a number of different processes, or a number of instances of the same process which are begun at different times or which are to be continued for different lengths of times and in respect to which the operator may have his attention called definitely to the time when each particular process should be terminated and in such manner that he can distinguish or be informed by the nature of the alarm or indication con nected therewith to what particular process the alarm signal relates.

The invention consists in the appliances described and shown when associated with a clock mechanism for the purpose indicated, as set out in the claims. t In the drawings :-Figure 1 is an elevation of a process alarm clock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section at the line 22 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the contact pins.

I have not considered it necessary to represent the entire time train of the clock or any of the distinguishing parts of it con sidered merely as a train for driving timeindicating hands. It may be understood that the wheel, 1, stands for such a train suitably connected with the single hand or index finger, 7, shown in the drawin s, which corresponds to the minute hand of a clock though it is preferably arranged to make its circuit in two hours, the length of time being immaterial so far as the invention is concerned. 'The face of the clock comprises an annular portion, 2, which contains a dial graduated by division into one hundred twenty spaces, each intended to correspond to one minutes travel of the hand. At each division point of this dial there is located a threaded hole, 3, adapted to have screwed into it an electric contact button or post, 4. The dial plate, 2, is itself made of metal so as to form part of an electric circuit and is connected by'a wire, 8% with one pole of the battery, 8, in whose circuit there is con tained the alarm gong, 6, to one of whose binding posts an electric connection wire extends from the battery. From the other binding post of the gong the circuit wire 8 is connected to an interior disk, 5, such connection being made by connecting the wire, 8 directly to the plate, 9, hereinafter mentioned, that plate being, in the construction shown, integral with the casing, 10, which with the shafts of the train thus completes the circuit connection to the disk, 5, said disk is insulated from the dial plate, 2, and rotated by the last wheel, 1, of the train (the remainder of the train not being shown), making a complete revolution once in two hours (or any other period corresponding to the graduation of the dial). The index or alarm-operating finger, 7, is mounted on the disk, 5, and comprises a trip piece, 7 which projects beyond the edge of the disk, 5, so that in its path it will encounter any pin or post, 4, set into any of the holes, 3, in the dial plate, 2, and in such encounter will be tipped or rocked back about its pivot while the rotation of the disk, 7, carries it past the pin when it will react into normal position for encounter with any subsequent pin. At any convenient position in plain sight on the front of the device or elsewhere if preferred, but connected for electric conduction with the casing, 10, there is mounted a plate, 9, having a number of holes, 9, adapted to receive pins, 4. These pins are. preferably each provided with a head or knob handle, 4 of suitable size to have marked plainly thereon a numben as 1, 2, 3, 4:,corresponding to the tanks or kettles or other receptacles or apparatuses in or by which the different lots of material are being cooked or otherwise treated and the proper time of the termination of whose treatment is to be indicated by the alarm. From the pin-holes, 3, of the annular dial, 2, radial lines, 2 are extended inward so that the registration of the division points of the outer annular dial with those of the inner rotating dial may be accurately read. The subdivisions of the rotating dial, 5, are numbered from 1 to 120,

the index trip finger being mounted at 120 dial and return it to its place in the plate, 9,

or the zero mark, so that each number indicates the number of minute spaces around the disk from the index finger to the point bearing the number.

Treatingthe device as employed in connection with the process of cooking vegetables for canning, it may be understood that the operator has or may have as many tanks or kettles in use as there are numbered pins, 4, and that the numbers on the pins correspond to the numbers of these tanks or kettes respectively. W'hen the operator puts a charge of vegetables into tank No. 1 he will take from its place in the pin plate, 9, pin No. l and will screw it into the hole in the dial plate from which the radial line extends registering with the graduation mark on the disk, 5, whose number is the number of minutes which the charge placed in kettle No. 1 is to be cooked. For example, if the vegetable requires ten minutes cooking, pin No. 1 will be screwed into the hole which is in line with the radial line, 10, on the disk, 5. For the next kettle which may be filled four minutes later having a charge which requires cooking fifteen minutes, the operator will take from its place pin No. 2, and disregarding the interval of time which has elapsed since he inserted the last pin, 1, but regard ing only the length of time which the charge in kettle No. 2 requires to be cooked, namely, fifteen minutes, he will insert said pin No. 2 in the hole in disk, 2, which is in line with line No. 15 of disk, 5, and thus he will proceed with all subsequently charged kettles, with the result that since in each instance the pin will be encountered by the trip finger as many minutes after it is inserted as there were minute spaces between the trip finger and the radial line of the disk, 5, in line with which the pin was inserted, and since that number of spaces is the number of the point on the disk, 2, used for determining the position in which to insert the pin, the trip finger will make the encounter with that pin closing the electric circuit and causing the gong to sound at the expiration of the number of minutes indicated by said number on the dial, 2, referred to for locating the pin, and that, therefore, whatever may have been the disregarded interval between the times of filling the several kettles, the operator will receive the necessary signal for each one at the expiration of its proper period of treatment, however various these periods may be and however irregular the intervals between the moments of completing the charges of the successive kettles. The operator upon hearing any alarm has but to turn to the clock and observe what pin has been last passed by the trip finger and its number informs him of the number of the kettle in which the process is at that moment completed. He will then withdraw that pin from the hole in the where it will remain until the same kettle is filled with a new charge for treatment.

I claim 1. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; a fixed dial also in the circuit having its subdivisions each provided with means for receiving a contact pin; a dial concentric with the fixed dial mounted for rotation with the clock train; a contact finger carried by the rotating dial, said rotating dial being graduated commencing at the location of the finger to correspond with the subdivisions of the fixed dial, and distinguishably marked contact )ins adapted to be applied at will to any su division of the fixed dial.

2. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; a fixed dial also in the circuit having its subdivisions each provided with means for receiving a contact pin, and radial direction lines extending to the locations provided for the pins respectively a dial concentric with the fixed dial, insulated therefrom but in the electric circuit and rotated by the clock train; a contact finger carried by the rotating dial for making contact with the contact pins as the dial rotates, said rotating dial being graduated at its periphery commencing at the location of the finger to correspond with the subdivisions and radial lines of the fixed dial, and distinguishably marked contact pins adapted to be at will applied to any subdivision of the fixed dial.

3. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; a disk contained in the circuit rotated by the clock train marginally graduated for time subdivisions; a contact finger carried by the rotating dial mounted at the zero point of said dial and projecting ofi' therefrom; a fixed dial also in the circuit concentric with the rotating dial, but insulated therefrom marginally graduated for time subdivisions and having at each subdivision point means for receiving a contact pin, and distinguishably marked contact pins adapted to be applied at will to any subdivision of the fixed dial, and when so applied to be within the path of the contact finger for closing the circuit when reached by said finger.

4. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; a disk or dial carried by the clock train and marginally graduated in selected time unit subdivisions; a contact finger contained in the electric circuit carried rigidly by said disk or dial mounted thereon at the zero point of its graduation and projecting therefrom; a fixed dial contained in the electric circuit and concentric with the rotating dial marginally subdivided to correspond to the graduations of the rotating dial and having at each subdivision means for receiving a contact pin in seems the path of rotation of the contact finger, said contact finger having a yielding terminal to permit it to pass by the contact pin while making contact therewith.

5. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein;

an exposed. dial carried by the clock train,

marginally subdivided for any selected time unit, and graduated from any selected zero point; a contact finger contained in the electric circuit carried by said dial mounted thereon at the zero point; a fixed dial concentrio with the rotating dial contained in the electric circuit marginally subdivided to correspond with the subdivisions of the rotating dial, and at each subdivision provided. with means for receiving a contact pin in position to be encountered by the contact finger as the rotating dial rotates; distinguishably marked contact pins adapted to be at will applied to any subdivision of the fixed dial, and a pin plate having pin lodgments marked to correspond with the contact pins respectively.

6. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; a dial rotated by the clock train marginally subdivided and graduated from a zero point for any selected time unit; a contact finger contained in the circuit carried by the rotating dial mounted thereon at zero point and projecting therefrom; a fixed dial concentric with the rotating dial contained in the circuit and correspondingly subdivided and having contact-pin-receiving holes at each subdivision; a limited plurality of contact pins each adapted to be inserted at will in any of said holes, and when inserted to be in the path of rotation of the contact finger for closing the circuit by contact of said finger, said contact pins being distinguishably marked, and a pin-receiving plate having correspondingly marked apertures for said pins respectively.

7. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; two concentric dials, one fixed and one rotating, both graduated for time subdivisions, one of the dials having a fixed contact element at its zero point and the other having means for receiving movable contact elements at its several subdivisions, and dis-.

tinguishably marked contact elements removably applied to the latter dial, said latter dial and the contact element on the other dial-being insulated from each other but both contained in the circuit.

8. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm -device therein; two concentric dials, one fixed and the other rotated by the clock train, insulated from each other but both contained in the circuit, one of the dials having a fixed contact element at its zero point and the other having means for receiving movable contact elements at its several subdivisions, and distinguishably marked contact elements removably applied to the latter dial.

9. A process alarm clock comprising an electric circuit and an alarm device therein; two concentric dials graduated for time subdivisions, one fixed and the other rotating, both contained in the circuit and insulated from each other, one of the dials having a fixed contact element at its zero point, the other having means for receiving movable contact elements at its several subdivisions, and distinguishably marked contact elements removably applied to the latter dial, the fixed contact element of the first dial having a terminal which is yielding topermit it to pass the contact elements on the other dial while making contact therewith.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th day of March, 1907.

WVILLIAM J. LATCHFORD.

WVitnesses:

EDWARD T. VVRAY M. GERTRUDE ADY. 

